

The Chad & Cheese Podcast
Evergreen Podcasts
Everything people and workforce—recruiting, marketing, technology, talent management, and workforce economics—delivered with biting sarcasm and unapologetic snark. Industry misfits Chad Sowash and Joel Cheesman bring their no-holds-barred opinions to dissect news, trends, and the occasional dumpster fire. If you’re a hiring company, staffing firm, or vendor looking for insights (and a thick skin), these two won’t just tell you what’s happening—they’ll tell you why you’re probably doing it wrong. Buckle up, buttercup.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 29, 2024 • 41min
Cancel Culture and Respectful Disagreement with Justin Jones-Fosu
The pendulum goes back-and-forth. In 2021, a survey was published that showed people had never been more afraid to speak their minds (a shocking 9 out of 10 people have felt emotionally or physically unsafe to speak their mind more than once in the past 18 months. Unsurprisingly, the conversation topics that have generated the most fear include political or social issues (74%) and COVID-19 issues (70%). It was the peak of MeToo and George Floyd cancel culture. Fast forward to today, and thought leaders from Professor Scott Galloway to James Carville are pushing back. It's a lot to digest. That's why we invited Justin Jones-Fosu, founder and CEO of Work. Meaningful. to the show. Author of the upcoming book "Respectfully Disagree," Justin and the boys cover a wide array of topics that many are afraid to bridge, but shouldn't be. If you've ever found yourself keeping quiet, instead of engaging, this is a must-listen. And if you speak your mind on every occasion to do so, it might just be for you too.

May 24, 2024 • 40min
Indeed's 'Dumb Tax' & Seekout Cuts
In this episode of the Chad and Cheese Podcast, the boys discuss their experiences in Scotland, including trying haggis and visiting distilleries. They also give shoutouts to Jobs on Google and Workplace by Facebook. The hosts talk about upcoming events and the differences between Glasgow and Edinburgh. They also share their visit to Glenkinchie distillery and their tasting experience. The conversation covers their experiences in Scotland, the Glasgow event, and insights from the event. Plus, they discuss the layoffs at Seekout and the challenges the company is facing. They also talk about Indeed's decision to prioritize paid postings over organic traffic, increasing the "dumb tax" on lazy employers.00:00 - Exploring Scotland: Haggis and Distilleries12:26 - Glasgow vs. Edinburgh: Contrasting Cities15:33 - Tasting Experience at Glenkinchie Distillery16:29 - Experiences in Scotland23:08 - Challenges at Seekout: A Go-to-Market Problem31:59 - Indeed's Shift to Paid Postings35:38 - Reducing Reliance on External Platforms

May 23, 2024 • 7min
Shredded: Seekout, Meta, Workvivo, LinkedIn, fynk, Code Nation, VEDA & More
The Shred is a weekly roundup of who’s raised funds, who’s been acquired and who’s on the move in the world of recruitment. The Shred is brought to you today by Jobcase.

May 22, 2024 • 27min
Talkin' 'Bout a Revolution with Fuel50 Founder & CEO
On this episode, the boys are chatting with Anne Fulton, founder and CEO of Fuel 50. They dive into the impact of AI on businesses, the revolution in talent management, and the evolution of education in a skills-based economy. Anne emphasizes the importance of employee voice, data-driven change, and branding in today's workforce. Discover the origin of Fuel 50's name and its mission to match people with opportunities. Don't miss this lively discussion on HR, talent management, and the future of work. Connect with Anne and learn more about Fuel 50 at fuel50.com.

May 20, 2024 • 37min
What's Next for Tech Talent with Mark Chaffey
According to Layoffs.fyi, over 200,000 tech industry employees lost their jobs in 2023, and almost 50,000 have already been laid off this year. So what's going on? Well, it's complicated, but - spoiler alert - the world isn't ending for tech pros looking for great opportunities. To help us make sense of it all, we invited Mark Chaffey, CEO at Hackajob on the podcast to understand it all. What's the impact of generative AI and ChatGPT on tech jobs? How can junior tech pros evolve? And what is going on with seed round-level startups after the dust has settled. If you hire techies, it's a must listen to survive today's challenging landscape.

May 17, 2024 • 55min
Indeed Layoffs, ZipRecruiter Cat Turds & Eightfold Smoke and Mirrors
This week, the boys discuss various topics including Indeed's layoffs, the ban on lab-grown meat in Alabama, Jerry Seinfeld's commencement speech, and the financial struggles of ZipRecruiter. They also dig into the introduction of Eightfold Talent Tracking, and the partnership between Stack Overflow and Indeed. They express their disappointment with ZipRecruiter's performance and call for better leadership. They criticize Eightfold for expanding too quickly and losing focus, and they mock the buzzword-filled description of their new product. They also question the strategy behind Twitter's, er, X's job recommendations and express their frustration with the lack of innovation. Finally, they discuss the controversy surrounding the Portal Project between New York and Dublin and how an OnlyFans model reminds us how much we all love boobies ... or is it potatoes? Eh, just listen.

May 16, 2024 • 9min
Shredded: Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Upwork, Fiverr, Anthropos, Sona, Worky, Sesame, AimHi Earth & More
The Shred is a weekly roundup of who’s raised funds, who’s been acquired and who’s on the move in the world of recruitment. The Shred is brought to you today by Jobcase.

May 15, 2024 • 35min
Firing Squad: HR Geckos' Jay Polaki
Jay Polaki, CEO and founder of HR Geckos, joins the Chad and Cheese Podcast for a session of Firing Squad. HR Geckos is an HR operations co-pilot that automates key HR processes, connects all HR systems, and provides an AI-powered help desk for HR. Jay shares her personal journey in HR and the inspiration behind starting HR Geckos. The company aims to replace fragmented HR systems with a unified, digital platform that connects employees to the information and services they need. Jay discusses the competitive landscape, pricing, go-to-market strategy, and the importance of partnerships. The hosts provide feedback and advice on raising funds, building a team, and scaling the business. Does she survive the Firing Squad? Gotta listen to find out.

May 13, 2024 • 24min
The HR Circus: Juggling Budgets, Boomers, and Blunders
Strap in for another episode of HR's most irreverent show where we dive headfirst into the HR abyss. The Chad & Cheese sit down with John Baldino, a man who’s been around the HR block longer than our interns have been alive, and dissect everything that's hilariously wrong (and sometimes right) in the world of human resources.
Fear Factor: HR Edition: Why is HR so terrified of the C-suite? We'll explore the existential dread of asking for more budget and why HR prefers to live in the land of "No Money, Mo' Problems."
Tech Wreck Tech Deck: Listen as we ridicule the shiny new HR technologies that promise the moon but deliver a piece of cheese. John breaks down why these tools often end up as expensive digital paperweights.
The Boomerang Boomers: Why are retirees flooding back to the workforce? Is it for the love of the job or just because they can't afford Netflix on their pensions? We'll look at why the golden years are now being spent in cubicles rather than on cruises.
Leadership or Lack Thereof: Get ready for John's rant on why today's HR leaders might just be masquerading as competent professionals. Spoiler alert: It involves a lot of snark and some uncomfortable truths about leadership (or the absence of it).
Tune in for an episode that promises to be as enlightening as it is entertaining, with plenty of laughs, a few cringes, and maybe some existential questioning of your career choices. Don't forget to leave your sensibilities at the door—this ride isn’t for the faint of heart or the humorless in HR.

May 10, 2024 • 39min
UpWork is Blowin' Up, Unleash's 'Magic' Trick
Live from Unleash in Vegas, the boys are covering the conference and all the wild 'n' wonderful things they've done with sponsors Outhire.ai, Jobpixel and Plum (while looking good in some Montreal Canadiens jerseys from HiringBranch), while also covering some of the hottest news from the week. What's that, you ask? How about Upwork crushing their quarterly earnings, a "Big Nude Boat" cruise and a roundup of all things Unleash, which included a keynote from Magic Johnson. Plus, new CEOs at VONQ and a new CTO at iCIMS. Enjoy.


